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Jem Smith

1863 – 1931

British boxer

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About Jem Smith

Lived 1863 – 1931 (aged 68). Jem Smith was a boxer.

Jem Smith (21 January 1863 – 10 September 1931) was a bare-knuckle prize fighter and heavyweight champion of England in the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. In 2010 he was inducted into the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame.

Early career

In 1881 he fought his first bare-knuckle prizefight aged 18 years. In 1889, he participated in a fight against Frank Slavin, where he was roundly outclassed by Slavin by all accounts, and knocked out cold for ten minutes, but the circumstances had been so unfairly stacked against his opponent, the referee called it a draw after 14 rounds. It was the last internationally recognized bare-knuckle prizefight, and fought in Bruges, Belgium.

Titles Smith fought his first heavyweight title fight in 1884 against Woolf Bendoff in the West End of London, England and won by TKO in the 13th round. He fought Jake Kilrain in 1887, in defence of his heavyweight title. The match lasted hours and after 106 rounds the bout was called a draw due to darkness. In 1891 he fought his last gloved contest against Ted Pritchard in New Cross, also in London, England and lost by a TKO in the 3rd round.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
English people

People in Jem Smith's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jem Smith's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jem Smith?

British boxer (1863-1931)

When was Jem Smith born?

Jem Smith was born on 21 January 1863 in Shoreditch.

When did Jem Smith die?

Jem Smith died on 10 September 1931 in Willesden.

What was Jem Smith's occupation?

Jem Smith was a boxer.

What nationality was Jem Smith?

Jem Smith's recorded nationality: English people.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jem Smith

· Wikidata: Q6177052

· DBpedia: Jem Smith

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jem Smith. https://biography.guide/jem-smith/

MLA: "Jem Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jem-smith/.

Chicago: "Jem Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jem-smith/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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